Self-closing paste tube



May 13, 1952 L. A. PARKER 2,596,592

SELF-CLOSING PASTE TUBE Filed July 19, 1950 Leonard A. Parker IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-CLOSING PASTE TUBE Leonard A. Parker, De Witt, Ark.

Application J ulylil, 1950, Serial No. 174,749

1 Claim. (01. 222-92) This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in dispenser tubes and more particularly pertains to a tube having a closure which is opened and clo ed in response to the pressure exerted upon the sides of the tube.

An important object of this invention is to provide a dispenser tube in which the closure therefor will be selectively and positively opened or closed in response to the pressure exerted on the sides of the tube for exuding the contents thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser tube, in accordance with the foregoing object, in which the closure actuator will retain the tube in its expanded condition, when the tube is not in use.

A further ob ect of this invention is to pro-- vide a dispenser tube, in accordance with the foregoing object, in which collapsible tubes of conventional construction may be utilized; in which the tube closing mechanism is of simple construction, and which is highly efiicient for the purposes intended.

An important feature of this invention resides in the provision of a sleeve which is slidably disclosed in the neck of a collapsible tube, and a pair of arcuate resilient bands which are each terminally secured to the sleeve and to the tube, which bands yieldingly urge the sleeve inwardly of the tube, so that a cap carried by the outer end of the sleeve will be seatingly engaged upon the neck of the tube.

Another important feature of this invention resides in the provision of a dispenser tube, in

accordance with the foregoing ob ect, in which the arcuate resilient bands and one end of the tube are clamped to each other, thereby providing a closure for the tube, and a mounting means for the arcuate bands.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features, are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of examples only in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective elevational view of the dispenser tube, in which the sides thereof are being deformed so as to urge the cap upwardly in the tube and to exude the contents of the tube;

Figure 2 is a perspective elevational view of the closure for the collapsible tube, and the arcuate bands which yieldingly urge the closure into a collapsed position;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the collapsible tube and closure therefor, and,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment of the dispenser tube, in which a screw threaded closure is provided.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate to similar parts throughout the several views, it will be seen that there is provided a conventional collapsible tube, indicated generally by the numeral I0, which is commonly used for paste, cream and the like.

The dispenser tube It consists generally of a substantially cylindrical, and deformable side wall I2 having a substantially conical end wall 14 on one end thereof, which end wall is commonly supplied with a neck portion Hi. The other end of the deformable side wall I2 is diametrically collapsed, and sealed by the conventional U-shaped clamping member l8.

In accordance with the objects of this invention, there is provided a closure member for the dispenser tube, which consists of sleeve 20 which is slidably disposed in the neck portion of the end wall [4, which sleeve has a dispensing aperture 22 intermediate the end thereof, which dispensing aperture will be disposed within the neck H5, when the sleeve is moved to its closing position and which aperture will be positioned outwardly of the neck I6 when the sleeve is moved outwardly, in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. The outer end of the sleeve 20 has a cap 24 secured thereto which cap has a collar 26 formed integrally therewith, which collar overlies the sleeve, and abuts the outer edge of the neck [6, in a manner which is readily apparent from a consideration of Figure 3 of the drawing. In this manner, the tube Ill will be sealed, when the sleeve 29 is urged inwardly of the tube.

In order to positively open and close the tube it, in response to a pressure exerted upon the sides of the tube, there is provided a pair of arcuate resilient bands 28, each of which is secured at their forward end 30 to the inner end of the sleeve 29, as by welding or the like.

It is intended that the rear portion 32 of the bands 23 be contoured complementary to the sides IQ of the tube I0, and that the rear end of the bands be secured to each other, then to the tube I ii by means of a clamp Hi. In this manner, the clamp H3 will not only serve to close one end of the tube Hi, but will further serve to retain the ends of the bands 28 into engagement with each other and with the tube.

In order to prevent the contents of the tube I0 from leaking past the sleeve 30 and the neck [6,

there may be provided a gasket 34 which may be conical as shown in Figures 3 and 4, which gasket is disposed about the sleeve 20 and is secured to the end wall M, by means of detents 36, which may be in the form of an annular flange. Thus, during the assembly of the device, the gasket 34 may be easily pressed into seating engagement with the. end wall L4 and retained. therein by, means of the detent'35..

There is also contemplated the provision of a closure means for the tube, which may be selectively locked to the tube, to prevent accidental discharge of the content thereof, suchas during.

shipping, and for this purpose the cap 24 may be provided with a rim 38 which is-internally threaded, to receive the externallythreaded,end

40 of the neck [6, the cap 24 being rotatably attached to the sleeve 2% by. means of the rivet-42 In operation, it will be seen that it is merely necessary todepress the sides l2iofi'the tube ill, adjacent the portion which contacts thearcuate bands. 385 so. as to simultaneously urge thesleeve 20, and consequently the cap 24 outwardly. ofthe neck. [6 of the tube, and-.also to exude thecontentsof the tube throughth aperture2-2; Upon release of the tube, the sleeve and cap will be drawn inwardly,.so that thev cap will seatagainst the neck. of the tube, thereby'sealing the latter and preventing the entrance of. foreign material into the tube. In the" event the cap,.shown in Figure-4, is utilized, it'is believed apparent that it will be necessary to first unscrew the cap; from theneck lfixofthe tube, and then. squeeze the tubeva'nd thereby urge. the sleeve, and" the con,-

tents of. the tubeoutwardly therefrom.

Erom.the*-..foregoing, his thought thattheoperatloni and construction of. the device will bev readily understood. and" further discussion. is

4 therefore believed to be unnecessary. However, numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, and it is not intended to limit the invention to that shown and described, but also suitable modifications may be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention,, what claimed asnew is: V

A dispenser tube having deformable side walls and an end wall, an externally threaded neck extending outwardly of said end wall, an apertured sleeveslidably disposed in said neck, a cap rotatably attached to the outer end of said sleeve,

' an internally threaded, annular flange on said capjadapted-jo, threadingly engage said neck, a pair of opposed arcuate resilient bands disposed insaid't'ube in contact with the deformable side Walls thereof, each of said bands having one end thereof secured to said: sleeve, meansficlamping the. end of said side walls of said' tube remote from said end: wall together and to the;other' end of said bands.

LEONARD A. PARKER.

EEFEPJEN-GES CIT-ED Ihe following references are of record in the file-of this patent:-

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Data 1,274,129 Wil1is ...l July"3 0, 1918 1,997,116. Nielsen .Apr. 9, 1935. 2,015,992; Burch. Oct;.1,.1'935. 2,047,693 Lickwar July 14 1936 2,200,923. Hoggatt' May. 143.1940 2,555i/i90 Horn June" 5:, I951 

